Karen Cranston
It has been another shining summer for Wanganui's finest tennis exponents as more national selections and major tournament victories have been achieved in the last month.
Professional Emma Hayman flew out for the much colder climes of Kazakhstan yesterday afternoon with the New Zealand Federation Cup team.
Hayman joins New Zealand No1 Marina Erakovic in the squad, along with Dianne Hollands, Abby Guthrie and captain Pavlina Nola to play in the Asia/Oceania Group II competition, with games from Tuesday to Saturday.
While an indoor competition, conditions for the Kiwis around the city of Astana will be extremely chilly as temperatures can drop as low as -34C in the Central Asian country at this time of year.
The squad will be looking to improve on their third placing in 2013 in the hunt to earn promotion to Asia/Oceania Group I against 11 other countries.
Meanwhile, Ohakune veteran Karen Cranston put her recent New Zealand honours overseas to good use by claiming another senior women's national title just over a week ago.
Cranston played in the New Zealand team taking on the Australian state sides at the Australian Teams event over in Hobart last month.
The Kiwis came fourth overall in Division I, with Cranston playing in every tie.
She returned to dominate at the NZ Tennis Senior Nationals, held in Nelson, winning the women's 50-55-year singles title as well as the doubles title with Queenstown's Felicity Oxnevard.
Cranston also reached the semifinals of the mixed doubles with Hamilton's Jason Cargo.
Her march to the singles title was a procession with four victories, beating Tauranga's Anita Walpole 6-0 6-0 in the final.
"It was all very straightforward. They weren't that strong and my game's strengthened up hugely over the last few months," Cranston said.
She has been selected for the New Zealand team travelling to the World Team Senior tournament in Florida in April, and her preparations will be continuing to play fortnightly interclub fixtures in Auckland and New Plymouth.
Also, teenager Kyle Butters continued his winning ways by retaining the Canterbury ITF title that he won in 2013.
Turning 17 this week, Butters wrapped up the boys tournament on Saturday with a 6-4 6-2 win over Great Britain's Rhett Purcell in the final.
Butters had a first round bye, then accounted for Australians Nicholas Opasinov (6-2 7-5) and Justyn Levin (6-3 6-3) to reach the quarter-finals as one of only two remaining Kiwis.
His roll continued as he beat Aussie Stefan Skadarka 6-4 6-3, and then Japan's Taisei Miyamoto 6-2 6-3 in the semifinals.
Hayman, Cranston and Butters should hopefully all be available for Wanganui when the representative team travels to Palmerston North to defend the Christie Cup against Manawatu on February 23.
Development officer Wilton Atkins said the team would not have the services of Butters' first cousin Paige Hourigan, but Victor Romero, Simon O'Leary, Charlotte Gollan, Paris Butters and Gabrielle Hiri are expected to make up the core of the rest of the squad.
After winning the Central Districts tennis association trophy for the first time in 50 years last summer, Wanganui successfully defended it against former holders Taranaki in December, trouncing them 20 games to four.
Manawatu were playing Taranaki in a representative tie yesterday, which will give Wanganui a gauge on their likely squad in three weeks.